Ventilating signal appliance for mines



J. F. GAMILLE.

VENTILATING SIGNAL APPLIANCE FOR MINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1919,

1 95,954, Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- I. F. GAMILLE.

VENTILATING SIGNAL APPLIANCE FOR MINES. APPLICATION mmmw 19. 1919.

1,395,954. Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 44 7 ,irwerd i'n,"

UNITED STATES JAMES F. GAMILLE, 0F FREDERICKTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENTILATING SIGNAL APPLIANCE FOR MINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application filed July 19, 1919. Serial No. 312,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. GAMILLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at F redericktown, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilating Signal Appliances for Mines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices and machines or apparatus for ventilating mines during mining operations, and pertains especially to a pneumatically operated apparatus electrically connected for signaling the condition of air ventilation in mines, tunnels and the like. i

The object of this invention is to provide an electrically installed apparatus adapted to be operated by ventilating air currents in a mine for denoting variations and absence of such currents in mine ventilation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrically connected swinging device connected with a piston which is operated by ventilating air currents in a mine for operating-said device so as to electrically signal the variations and absence of such currents in a mine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic piston-pressure balanced device in connection with a commutator, whereby the movement of the piston will impart a swinging movement of said device in contact with the commutator for signaling the condition of mine ventilation.

Various other objects, advantages and improved results are attainable in and by the construction and operation of this device as hereinafter disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application Figure 1 is a side elevation party broken away with the parts in position as indicating proper mine ventilation, the dotted line showing such parts as in position for indicating insufficient mine ventilation.

Fig. 2 is an end view with the parts in position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the commutator Wheel hanger and yoke partly broken away. i

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of part of the piston counterbalancing device.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the piston cylinder head showing means for permiting swinging movement of the piston ro Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing two piston cylinders.

The same reference characters denote the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The air currents ordinarily introduced into a mine for ventilation are utilized to operate my machine or apparatus so that while a mine is being supplied with air for proper ventilation such air currents or pressure will hold certain parts of my machine in position for denoting proper ventilation, but in the event of insuflicient or stoppage of ventilating air currents in a mine this will cause an operation of my machine to denote the same.

In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable base or foundation 1 upon which the whole apparatus is mounted and which may be so stationed as to place the air intake pipe 2 of a cylinder 3 in the path of mine ventilating air currents. The cylinder 3 is provided with an air discharge pipe 4, and a piston 5 to which is pivoted one end of a piston rod 6, the other end of the rod being fulcrumed at 6 to a connecting rod 7 pivoted at 7 to the inner end of a swinging beam 8. In order that the piston rod may have transverse movement in the cylinder head 9, I provide said head with a slot 10 covered by a slidable plate 11 through which the piston rod works. This plate forms an air-tight closure of the slot 10 but is capable of sliding movement according to the transverse movement of said rod during vertical movement. The cylinder is supported by a frame member 12 braced to the base or foundation 1, and upon which a non-conducting body 13 is secured. Said body 13 has contact segments 14 mounted thereon in an arc of a circle, which segments are connected by wires 13 with suitable signal lights or alarms which may be located as desired in a mine and in an oflice of a mining plant or other place for signal purposes. Stop posts 153 and 16 are also mounted on the body 13 to prevent the movable contact 35, which will subsequently be described, from being moved beyond the contact-segments 14 in either direction. The frame member 12 has a lateral extension, 17 supported by a post or standard 18 extending from the foundation 1, and to the outer end of the extension 17 is pivoted at 19 a bracket 20 having a dependv ing screw stem 21 upon which is adjustably applied a weight 22. The bracket has an arm 23 to which is fulcrumed a link 24 pivoted at 25 to a weight arm 26 attached to the outer end of the swinging beam 8 which is pivoted in the frame member 12 at 27 The beam 8 is provided with a screw rod 28 having a weight 29 adjustable thereon, and this weight together with the weight arm 26 and the weight 22 counterbalances the piston so asto automatically drop the latter in the absence of air pressure in the cylinder by reason of the absence of air ventilating currents in the mine.

The beam 8 has a pitman 30 fulcrumed thereto at 31 and the depending end of the pitman has a cross rod 32 of a yoke working therethrough. The yoke arms 33 are connected by the rod 32 and straddle the contact segments. The end of said arms 33 is pivoted to the body 13 at 34, and one of these arms works between the posts 15 and 16 to' prevent over-travel of said arm. A commutator engaging wheel 35 is hung on the bar 32 and is kept in said engagement by a weight 36, so that the movement of the pieton will move the wheel accordingly and cause said wheel to engage the various contact segments 14 and energize the signal I lights to indicate the amount of air pressure in the mine and in the cylinder.

The apparatus may have a plurality of hangers 37 for hanging or suspending the apparatus in operative position.

Obviously the weights may be adjusted according to the weight of the piston and its connections to counterbalance the same so that whatever air pressure may be in the mine for ventilation will have its efi'ect upon the piston.

Reterrlng to 6 of the drawings, each end of the walking beam 40 has connected thereto a piston rod 41 working in cylinders 42 which are connected at the top, by an air pipe 43, and at the bottom by a similar pipe 1 44. I The pipes 43 and 44 are connected by a vertical air pipe 45 having an air exhaust 46. An air intake 47 projects from the pipe 44 and is connected to the top of one of the cylinders 42 by a diagonal air pipe 48. Obviously the air from ventilating currents circulates through the same pipes and cylinders for operating the piston rods which operates the walking beam as and for the purpose hereinbefore described. The beam 40 carries a device 4O in contact with contact segments 41 wired asat 42 Ido not wish to limit my invention as to material and size, nor to the particular shape, construction and arrangement of the parts, except as to the centralization of the swinging beam with the cylinder and piston, or with respect to the gage necksand pair of pistons, neither do I wish to confine myself in the application of my invention to air cylinders, but reserve the right to make such changes and variations in the manufacture and practical application of the invention as'may be considered within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In mine ventilating appliances, a cylinder having a piston, a rod connected'to said piston, a counterbalanced beam connected with the piston-rod, a pivoted yoke c0nnected with the beam, a contact-wheel hung from the yoke, contact-segments mounted adjacent said wheel and adapted to be engaged thereby, arms, pivoted at one end, connected to said yoke, and stop-posts mounted adjacent said contacts and adapted to be en-' gaged by said arms to limit the travel thereof. A V

2. In mine ventilating appliances, a cylinder having a piston, arod connected to said piston,'a counterbalanced beam connected with said piston-rod, contact-segments having stop-posts mounted adjacent thereto, a pivoted yoke connected with said beam, arms, pivoted at one end, connected to said yoke, a rotatable contact member suspended from said yoke, contact segments adapted to be engaged by said rotatable contact mem ber, said stop-posts adapted to be engaged by said arms.

3. Ina mine ventilating appliance,a pneumatic cylinder having a piston, a rod connected to said piston, a counterbalanced beam connected with the piston-rod and arranged above the cylinder, a pivoted yoke connected to said beam, a contact-wheel hung from said yoke, contact-segments adapted to be engaged by said contact-wheel, arms, pivoted at one end, connected to said yoke, and stop-posts mounted adjacent said contacts and adapted to be engaged by said arms to limit the travel thereof. f

4. The combination of 'contact'segments havin a pair of stop posts mounted'adja cent tlier'eto, a pivoted arm limited in its 6. The combination of a contact segment having a pair of stop posts mounted adjacent thereto, a pivoted arm limited in its movements by the posts, a balanced beam, a pitman connecting said arm with the beam, a pneumatic cylinder having a piston, a piston rod connected with the beam for transverse movement in operating the beam, and

a counterbalanced wheel carried. by said arm in contact with the contact segment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. GAMILLE. Witnesses:

W. B. VANDERGRIFT, R. S. BANE. 

